DC’s Capital Tennis Tradition Begins July 16 at Rock Creek Park Tennis CenterThe player fields are set for the Nation’s Capital Tennis Tradition - the 2016 Citi Open Tennis Tournament - and fans are in for an action-packed week of tennis, July 16-24 at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center.

Three-time tournament champion and former U.S. Open champion Juan Martín del Potro returns to recapture the Washington throne. Gael Monfils (No. 15) and Nick Kyrgios (No. 19) two of the ATP World Tour’s most electrifying players, have also committed. Other top international stars joining the field include Kevin Anderson, Marcos Baghdatis, and Bernard Tomic, complementing the tournament’s current top seed, World No. 8 Tomas Berdych, and fan favorite Grigor Dimitrov. Top Americans on the roster including Jack Sock, Sam Querrey, and DC-area native Denis Kudla, who has recently reached a career-high ranking of No. 53, will join previously announced U.S. players John Isner and Steve Johnson. ATP Next Generation player Borna Coric of Croatia joins previously announced rising American star Taylor Fritz.

Returning to defend her title, Sloane Stephens (No. 20) won her first career title at the 2015 Citi Open, followed by three more titles in the past year. Joining the roster is the current No. 1 seed, former U.S. Open champion Samantha Stosur (No. 14) who had an incredible run to the semifinals at this year’s French Open, along with American Shelby Rogers, who raced to this year’s French Open quarterfinals. The women’s field also hosts three former Grand Slam finalists - Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard, Germany’s Sabine Lisicki, and previously announced former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki.

The full doubles field is expected about two weeks before the tournament, headlined by the world’s most successful doubles team of all time, Bob and Mike Bryan. Players are subject to change due to injury or other unforeseen circumstances.

“If you’ve never experienced the thrill of live tennis before, this is the field to watch,” said Jeff Newman, tournament director. “This year’s roster of players brings a unique blend of talent, athleticism and personality to the court, and we’re so excited to bring the great DC sports fans the opportunity to experience it live.”

The 48th edition of the Capital Tennis Tradition benefits the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF), the tournament’s nonprofit owner and beneficiary. The organization provides underserved children in the DC-area with a safe environment to learn critical life skills both on and off the courts through academic and athletic enrichment.

The Citi Open Tennis Tournament has been Washington, DC’s premier tennis event since 1969. The tournament is the only elite ATP World Tour 500-level event held in the United States, and has featured a WTA International Tournament since 2011, making it one of only four tournaments in the country that include both men’s and women’s fields. Champions over the tournament’s 48-year history include some of the most historic names in tennis, including Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and many more.

Courtside box seats, a variety of all-session and multi-session ticket packages, and group packages are available online at www.citiopentennis.com. Courtside hospitality suites are also available by calling the tournament hotline at (202) 721-9500.

Single session/daily tickets are now available at www.citiopentennis.com. Each ticket provides fans access to the action on all six match courts for up to as many as 26 matches per session in the early rounds providing tremendous value for the ticket price.

The Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF) is a premier educational and tennis organization for underserved children in Washington, DC. The mission of WTEF is to improve the life prospects of low-income, underserved children and youth in the District of Columbia through athletic and academic enrichment. We seek to keep children off city streets during out-of-school time in a safe environment they can trust. We also engage them in productive activities that teach discipline, build confidence, improve school performance, and encourage a healthy lifestyle. We empower our students to achieve their highest potential by helping them develop meaningful values and critical life skills that will lead them to make constructive life choices. WTEF builds life champions.

About Citi:

Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.

Lagardère Sports is a leading sport marketing agency, with a global network of local experts dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that meet our clients’ needs. We believe sport inspires emotions and passion that are essential to enrich people’s lives and generate powerful collective experiences. At Lagardère Sports, we dedicate our expertise and passion to provide our clients with privileged access to the infinite opportunities of sports. Lagardère Sports is part of Lagardère Sports and Entertainment, a company with more than 1,600 employees worldwide and 50 years of experience.